India must prioritise returning to the status quo ante on LAC: Shyam Saran

India’s decision to agree to a “phased” withdrawal of troops rather than a package deal for a complete disengagement across the Line of Actual Control could become a cause for concern in the future, said former National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) chairperson and former foreign secretary Shyam Saran. Mr Saran pointed out that setting up a buffer zone or “no man’s land” in the Finger area of North Pangong Tso, even if temporarily, means that the troops would not return to the “status quo ante” or positions prior to April 2020. He added that the future would depend on how “smoothly” the rest of the disengagement process, that began last week, will go.